Sony and TSMC assess their Kumamoto plants after the earthquake

After a preliminary magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday, 6 Mordad 1405 (28 July 2026), companies in the semiconductor supply chain are assessing the condition of their facilities. Sony and TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, both have plants in the affected area. A Sony spokesperson said the company was checking the situation, while TSMC told Kyodo News it was assessing conditions.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake registered the maximum 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, the highest level on that scale. It knocked out power to thousands of homes, halted rail services and prompted tsunami and aftershock warnings.

Kyushu has become one of the main hubs of Japan's chip investment in recent years. Any disruption to production there carries added weight because Asian chip stocks faced a heavy selloff on Tuesday. As of publication, the companies had not completed their assessment of any damage to production lines.